New Year, New Adventures – My Resolutions For 2016

I’m not normally one for new year’s resolutions, but this year I’m feeling vaguely inspired so here goes…

1. #Project366 on Instagram

For the past few years I’ve watched my pal Johnny post a photo a day on his Instagram account @junglehungry with the hashtag #project365. Recent posts vary from ice skates to didgeridoos and hipster loo roll, most with a one or two-word, often comic, caption.

2016 is a leap year so it’s #project366 and armed with an iPhone 6S, I’m going to join in. I’ve started with a post called Flower Power – which is of a cushion cover we bought in Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar. You can follow me @taliena or even better, join in yourself! No-one will mind if you start a day or two late.

2. Read more, for pleasure

I do actually read a lot – it’s a bit of an occupational hazard as a sub-editor. But over the past few years I’ve noticed my reading for pleasure has dipped somewhat and I want to change that.

So I’m going to pick up a book for at least five minutes a day. A real, proper book. I’m currently reading Empress Dowager Cixi by Jung Chang – a biography of one of the most powerful women in Chinese history.

Five minutes then becomes 10… 15 and so on. Hopefully at this rate I’ll have it finished by August.

3. More yoga, for body and soul

An old friend recently told me he assumed I was a vegan. This amused me immensely as I think he sees me as some kind of hippy.

I’m not vegan – or even vegetarian – but I do believe in the importance of balance between the body and soul. I’ve had a sore back for years and yoga does really help it. It also calms the mind and I’ve found even 15 minutes every couple of days can really help me alleviate mental and physical stress.

I use the Yoga Studio app on my iPad which has a range of classes targeting areas such as flexibility, back pain and so forth. Great app, now I just need to find the time to do it…

4. Waste less

I’m actually pretty good at this already. My bathroom is full of almost-but-not-quite empty bottles; the freezer stuffed with odd bits of parmesan, herbs and reduced cuts of meat, and I’ll get as many uses out of a piece of wrapping paper as is humanly possible.

But I still end up chucking out the odd chicken breast that passed its use-by date, or end up buying yet another roll-on deodorant on a weekend away.

When so many people out there have nothing – it’s a drain on the pocket, the environment and general human decency. So I’m determined to be more creative in the kitchen, recycle more and generally be less wasteful.

5. Travel more

I’ve done my fair share of clocking up the air miles, but most of this is flying between the UK and Austria. So I’ve got a few destinations on my 2016 holiday wish list already – which shouldn’t be too unfeasible if I plan in advance.

Close to home, trips to Glasgow and Edinburgh, Belfast and south Wales to catch up with friends are long overdue. I also may finally pay Liverpool a visit, to get my passport renewed if nothing else.

Further afield, Peru was a near miss for our big holiday last year so that’s back up there for 2016. Reading about China has also whetted my appetite for a return visit, although it could be a year or two before heading east again. I’m determined to squeeze in a trip to New York too. And have a weekend in Croatia.

A girl can dream right? Happy new year everyone and here’s to many more adventures in 2016. xxx